Thanks to everyone for the reviews and I'm so sorry this took so long! Everyone gets an orange thingies AND a cupcake!

I don't own Maximum Ride, I am not James Patterson. (Obviously)

Max's POV

My heavy panting hurt my chest with each inhale and exhale. Oxygen seemed limited. Was that from the exhaustion or were they adding another variable into the twisted lab I was a part of? I was the rat in this experiment (well maybe bird but oh well...) and I was forced to run through this stupid maze. Unfortunately, I didn't get the prize of cheese at the end. All I got was a sip of water and a resting break of sixty seconds. The maze of dead ends, sharp turns, and electrified walls and floors that kept me moving was rearranged each time I finished. I finally burst through the maze exit, my lungs were on fire, and my mouth was dry. How many times had I completed this stupid maze in a row? It felt like... like... a gazillion times. Wasn't that such a Nudge remark?

Nudge.

My heart hurt thinking about them.

Iggy, Nudge, Angel, Gazzy... Fang.

What I would give to hold little Angel in my arms again- no, I wouldn't think of it.
They were safe and that is all that mattered.

How long had I been here? A year? A decade? The actual time, two days, only 48 hours, seemed unreal to me.

"Here's your water, freak." Something cold and wet splashed on my head.

My water. I thought to myself, picturing me strangling the idiot that laughed, mocking me. Stupid Ari.
The cold water felt kind of good on my head, mixing with my sweat, but I would much rather be drinking the liquid. I got to my feet and looked up and Ari's sneering face.

"Thanks." I said in a false-cheery tone. "But shouldn't you be off trying to win the affections of Daddy?"
Yes, Jeb was here. Although it sent pain through my chest even talking about my former guardian and mentor, I hid it. I knew it bugged Ari even more to talk about his father so I brought it up.
The response was instantaneous.

His large, hairy claws formed fists and his face was immediately distorted by rage but before he could get murderously angry, one of the scientists said,

"We're done with the test subject for now. You-" He pointed to Ari. "Take it back to its holding cell."
What the hell? Did that jerk just call me an 'it'?

"Um excuse me you pathetic waste of space." I spit out at the stout scientist. "I obviously have a gender. Being the nerd-scientist that you are I would think you would know what a gender is. I'm a GIRL you moron!"

The short man remained silent, gaping at me. What, had the other nitwits not explained my tendency to have random outbursts? By the surprise on his face, I guess not.

"Oh sorry. I guess this is kind of a shock to you. I'm guessing you've never spoken to a girl before."
Now his face went tomato red with embarrassment.

I'm taking that as a confirmation to my theory.

------------------------

Ari dropped me off at my cell a while later. They ditched the dog crates for cramped holes with doors... So I guess that can be considered a room.

He opened the door, a metal block with complicated locks and such, and shoved me in. I heard the door slam and I heaved out a sigh. He was finally gone. I turned in the cramped space, half crouching and ran right into Ari.

"Hey, what the - ?"

But my question was cut short as his large form loomed over me and shoved me.

"I don't care who you think you are." He snarled, his long, strangely canine teeth a disgusting yellow. "But you are the prisoner here, and you will do exactly as I say. So I don't want any crap from you."

With that he stalked out.

And I was alone.

Fang's POV

I am alone.

Yeah, the kids are here but they are leaderless. I can't be the leader.

All I can think about lately is her.

She's gone.

Max…

I need to do something. Get her back. Fight for her. It wasn't right here without her. She was the heart of this flock. And we needed her. I needed her.

It's funny how I could never admit that to myself until now. I always knew that I needed her but was it the fact that I might never see her again make it easier to like her so much more?

I would never see her again….

No!

I wouldn't give up, I couldn't give up. I would go find her and I would bring her back.

I walked to the flock who were sitting around the campfire. We had ditched the cabin for obvious reasons – the Erasers knew where it was.

The entire flock was sulking. Iggy's head was bowed in defeat, a look of complete sadness on his face. Angel's and Nudge's faces were covered in their tears. The Gasman was trying to hold it in, his eyes swimming with unshed tears.

Me?

Absolutely furious. Not only with Ari and the Erasers, but with myself. How could I have let this happen?

I snapped out of my melancholy thoughts and turned my attention back to the flock.

I cleared my throat.

"Guys…" I started not knowing what to do. I wasn't good with speeches so I would make this short.

"I'm going to go and get Max back." I said.

"Finally!" Iggy shouted, standing up. "When do we leave?"

"Soon! We have to leave soon! Let's go save her and then we can be a family again! Oh, poor Max I bet she's so lonely. But she's not scared, No, Max is too brave to be scared but that's why we have to get her…"

"Is this a rescue mission? I am not a rescue dog! I'm not prepared for this…" Total fretted.

"What do we need to bring?" Gazzy asked Iggy. "We can't bring many of the big bombs…"

All of them were talking at once.

This was getting out of hand.

"Guys, STOP! You're not going. I'm going alone!" Four bird kids and one very small dog all turned toward me with shocked expressions.

Not a very good chapter, sorry. But please review anyway! I want to hear what you think of it, what you think will happen, suggestions, and even bad comments! (But not mean, please) Just review!